1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus with a function of storing printed-paper such as a confidential document and a printed-paper storing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, it is widely performed to transmit print data from a computer (hereinafter referred to as PC) used by a user to a printer via a network and print this print data on paper with the printer. In such a printer system, a normal print output, i.e., printed paper, is discharged from the printer in a state in which anyone can arbitrarily acquire the paper.
In many cases, the printer is commonly used for plural users. In this case, even when a certain user does not want the other users to look at a print output requested by the user, since the print output is discharged in a state in which anyone can acquire the print output, the other users can easily look at contents of the print output.
In order to solve such a problem, in JP-A-7-131620, a constitution in which only a user who requested printing can acquire a print result is disclosed. Printed paper is stored in a discharged paper storing unit, which is in a removal disallowed state, to keep the paper in a confidential state. Time when it is possible to acquire the paper is notified from a printer side to the user side who requested printing. When the user acquires a print result, the user inputs a user code at this notified time. On the printer side, the user code is collated with a user code registered in advance and, when the user codes coincide with each other, the discharged paper storing unit is brought into a removable state to permit the user to take out the printed paper in the confidential state.
In the system described above, in order to store printed paper, the user has to register the user code every time the user stores printed paper. Thus, handling operation is complicated. There are problems that should be solved. For example, a request for printing a number exceeding the number of pieces of stored paper cannot substantially be treated.